Definition

Verb: * To fail; to not be completed or successful: This describes a situation, plan, or agreement that ultimately does not happen or is unsuccessful. It implies a collapse or disintegration of the intended outcome.

Usage

The verb "fall through" is used to describe plans, arrangements, deals, or projects that do not materialize as intended. It is often used in the past tense to report a failure. * It is an intransitive phrasal verb and does not take a direct object. * Common subjects include: plan, deal, agreement, arrangement, project, sale.

Examples

• Our weekend camping trip fell through because of the storm.
• The business deal fell through at the last minute.
• I hope our dinner plans don't fall through.
• The merger negotiations have fallen through.

Advanced Usage

• "to fall through the cracks": To be missed or neglected, often due to a flaw in a system or process.
  • Some students' needs can fall through the cracks in a large school system.

Variants and Related Words

• Fall-through (noun, hyphenated): An instance of failure. (Less common)
  • The fall-through of the contract was a major setback.

Synonyms

• Collapse: To fail suddenly and completely.
• Founder: To fail or break down, often after a struggle.
• Miscarry: (Of a plan) to fail to achieve the intended result.
• Come to nothing: To end without success.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Fall apart: To break down or fail, often emotionally or structurally.
  • Their partnership fell apart over financial disagreements.
• Fall flat: To fail to produce the intended effect, especially to not be funny or impressive.
  • His joke fell flat with the audience.

Related Idioms

• Go by the wayside: To be abandoned or neglected.
  • Many of our initial ideas went by the wayside as the project developed.

Verb

1. fail utterly; collapse
   • The project foundered